Dakar masters on top as World Rally-Raid Championship makes Mexican debut (2024)

The 2023 Sonora Rally was a bumpy ride from start to finish for the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) convoy. Reigning champions and category leaders saw their rallies come to a premature end, while a mix of multiple Dakar winners and young guns hit the front. The trip to Mexico was the first-ever North American stop for the W2RC and it ended up as prickly as a cactus.

Al-Attiyah handles the heat

The Sonora Rally is the latest race to be conquered by five-time Dakar Rally champion Nasser Al-Attiyah. The Qatari ace, co-driver Mathieu Baumel and their Toyota Hilux GR DKR T1+ were once again in perfect synchronisation as they powered through the championship terrain unique to Mexico. The result takes Al-Attiyah to the top of the T1 W2RC rankings as he defends the crown he won last year.

"I'm so happy to win the Sonora Rally, the third round of the World Rally-Raid Championship," Al-Attiyah said. "We've had a really amazing week and it was important for us to take the lead of the championship here."

Loeb's adventure ends prematurely

It was Sébastien Loeb who had led the W2RC ahead of the Sonora Rally. However, Loeb's BRX Prodrive Hunter got stuck in a ditch on Stage 3 and a shoulder injury for co-driver Fabian Lurquin saw their rally end prematurely. Loeb has two remaining rounds of the 2023 W2RC season to get back on top.

A North American winner is crowned

There were plenty of fireworks in the small dunes of Sonora during the T3 contest. Heading into the fifth stage, Mitch Guthrie Jr. of the RedBull Off-Road Junior Team USA presented by BFGoodrich held an overall lead of just over one minute from Mattias Ekström. On the final stage Guthrie Jr., co-driver Kellon Walch and their MCE5 machine put down the hammer to win the rally by over six minutes from Ekström, who can normally be found driving in the T1 class. It's fitting that the W2RC's first trip to this region produced a North American winner.

T3 is so hot right now

Ekström and co-driver Emil Bergkvist had to make do with second overall and they were joined on the final podium by Austin Jones/Gustavo Gugelmin. The crews of Cristina Gutiérrez/Pablo Moreno and Chaleco López/Juan Pablo Latrach came up just short of the final podium in Mexico, finishing in fourth and fifth respectively. Gutiérrez suffered cruel luck on the final stage with two broken belts costing her time and ultimately a place on the overall podium.

Guthrie Jr. and Jones's RedBull Off-Road Junior Team USA presented by BFGoodrich team-mate Seth Quintero kept himself in the hunt for W2RC glory with impressive stage results alongside co-driver Dennis Zenz after the pair lost nearly two hours on Stage 1 due to a mechanical issue.

"We've got a podium on the final stage, but we wanted a whole lot more," Seth Quintero said. "The championship is still on the line and I'm excited to get to the next round."

Rokas is on a roll

Keeping a cool head in the desert heat were Rokas Baciuška and co-driver Oriol Vidal as they bagged a comfortable victory in the T4 class. Baciuška suffered heartbreak on the final stage of the Dakar earlier this year as he saw the T4 win slip through his fingers. However, the Lithuanian has bounced back with W2RC victories in Abu Dhabi and now Mexico to lead the championship.

Sanders takes maiden W2RC win

Daniel Sanders claimed his first-ever W2RC victory in convincing style at the Sonora Rally. The RedBull GASGAS Factory Racing biker scored a string of stage wins that had him opening the route for the majority of the rally. Expert navigation allowed Sanders to stay in front and score plenty of precious time bonuses. The win seals a fabulous comeback that goes back to a broken elbow while leading the 2022 Dakar.

Toby Price battled back throughout the week after losing time on Stage 1. Eventually the RedBull KTM Factory Racing rider had to settle for fourth overall. The result increases the two-time Dakar winner's overall lead in the W2RC rankings, putting him seven points clear of his nearest rival. 
Elsewhere there were encouraging returns from injury for Price's KTM team-mates Matthias Walkner and Kevin Benavides, who finished fifth and 12th respectively. For Benavides the aim was always just to reach the finish line in Mexico and he covered all 2,000km of the Sonora Rally despite suffering a broken femur just two months ago.

Where next for the World Rally-Raid Championship?

We're now past the halfway point of the 2023 W2RC with just two of the total five stops yet to play out. Next up is a trip to Argentina for the Desafío Ruta 40, running from August 26 to September 1, before the season finale at the Rallye du Maroc in October.